On the 2nd of October 2019 in cinema hall „Sokół” in Sokółka the international conference inaugurating Project „Tyzenhauz Trail – creation of a tourist route to promote cultural and historical heritage of two cities: Sokolka and Grodno” took place. The project is co-financed by Cross-border Cooperation Programme Poland-Belarus-Ukraine 2014-2020. Thematic objective – heritage.
Project manager Paweł Lange-Kuczyński welcomed invited guests and participants. Among the others on the conference took part: Kazimierz Mieczysław Baszko – the Chairman of the International Polish-Belarussian Coordinayting Committee for Cross-border Cooperation – member of the Board of the Podlasie Voivodeship and Wiesława Burnos – member of the Board of Podlasie Voivodeship.
Total numer of arived guests from Grodno Region (BY) was 25 persons. The Project Partners from Republic of Belarus were represented among others by: Andrzej Żuk – First Deputy of the Major of Grodno City, Borys Fiodorov – The president of the city council of Grodno, Eugeniusz Arod – Head of Sports and Tourism Department of Grodno City Executive Committee (Partner 1), Siergiej Koleda and Danuta Polubenskaya – project coordinators on the side of Belarus (Partner 2).
The conference was also attended by distinguished guests and speakers, among whom there were representatives of science, non-governmental and tourist organizations, as well as entrepreneurs operating in the tourism sector.
The Mayor of Sokółka, Ewa Kulikowska, presented the genesis and said about circumstances in which the project was created. It turned out that Sokółka and Grodno were struggling with similar problems, such as the lack of money for the renovation of historic buildings listed in the register of monuments from the time of Antoni Tyzenhauz – the Royal economics manager in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the creator of, inter alia, the spatial arrangement of Sokółka and Grodno. Fortunately on October 11, 2016 the first call for proposals under cross-border cooperation under the Poland-Belarus-Ukraine Program 2014-2020 was announced, thanks to which partners from 3 countries could apply for grants from European Union funds for the implementation of joint, cross-border projects promoting local culture and the preservation and protection of historical and cultural heritage.
At the beginning of the conference inaugurating the project „Tyzenhauz Trail …” representatives of science introduced for the guests the figure of Antoni Tyzenhauz. A virtual journey based on words – symbols (keys) from the east of the west – from Sokółka and closer area to the west of the east to Grodno and further places where Józef Ziemczonok took the participants on a journey. He is a longtime employee of the University of Warsaw and the Director of the Institute for Eastern Research PEDAGOGIUM of the University of Social Sciences in Warsaw.
Whereas Sergey Donskih – associate professor of the Faculty of Tourism and Cultural Heritage of Janka Kupała University in his presentation showed how to use a historical figure to promote the city, municipality, project.
During the conference the project manager Paweł Lange-Kuczyński, introduced a presentation describing the main assumptions and project activities and presented the walking and cycling route along the „Tyzenhauz Trail” Sokółka-Grodno. The project manager in his speech emphasized that cooperation of three sectors: public, private and civic sectors is necessary for developing a unique cross-border tourist product „Tyzenhauz Trail” on the trail Sokółka-Grodno.
During the presentation, the guests learned that except the renovation of the „Tyzenhauz” tenement in Sokółka as well as in Grodno there are opportunities of free participation in a number of activities:
- bicycle rally on the routes Sokółka-Grodno, Grodno-Sokółka, as well as around Sokólka and Grodno regions.
- handicraft workshops for young people and learners,
- painting workshops for artists, including people studying art,
- theater performances in 3 languages (PL + BY + Eng.) for cross-border target audience,
- preparation and distribution of maps, guides and books on the topic of the trail, as well as Antoni Tyzenhauz,
- purchase of bicycles for trail users, tourists, residents of the cross-border area,
- a popular-scientific conference addressed to scientists, journalists, schoolchildren, employees of cultural institutions, tour operators, representatives of non-governmental organizations.
- workshops in the field of tourism, in which representatives of the tourism industry, owners of agritourism farms, accommodations and gastronomic facilities, and guides can take part.
And at the end You will be able to rest a moment on the „Tyznehauz bench” or take up the cultural and social offer of renovated tenement houses.
During the conference, important issues related to the development of tourism in the cross-border area of Poland and Belarus including problems and restrictions affecting its development were raised. Eugeniusz Ławreniuk associated with the tourist industry and tourism organization in Poland and Belarus talked about practical aspects and future prospects.
At the end of the conference there was a panel discussion entitled „Cultural heritage + cross-border cooperation + tourism initiatives = effective tourism product?!?” The panel discussion was attended, among others, by Paweł Molenda, Project Manager from the Joint Technical Secretariat of the Poland-Belarus-Ukraine Cross-Border Cooperation Programme 2014-2020; Agnieszka Zyzało from the Polish Chamber of Tourism, and from the Belarusian side – Boris Fedorov – chairman of the City Council of Grodno together with Sergei Koleda as a representative of Partner 2 from the Belarusian side. In their statements, everyone underlined that initiatives such as the inaugural project give a chance to establish and develop cross-border cooperation and tourism is a great medium for this.
In the lobby of „Sokół” cinema, guests enjoyed refreshments, among others, sweet cupcakes with the inscription „Sokółka” and the project logo and a wall, against the background of which you can take commemorative photos with „The King and the Queen travelling the Tyzenhauz Trail by tandem bicycle from Sokółka to Grodno”.
We can say confidently that the conference was a success. It was attended by over 200 people from the scientific community, public and privite sector, schoolchildren interested in participating in the project. We also encourage all willing of participation. We would like to thank all guests for their time, arrival and participation in this important event for Sokółka.
See you on the „Tyzenhauz Trail” Sokółka-Grodno.
This text has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union, under the ENI CBC Programme Poland-Belarus-Ukraine 2014-2020. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of Sokolka Municipality and under no circumstances can be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union, the MA or the Joint Technical Secretariat of the ENI CBC Programme Poland-Belarus-Ukraine 2014-2020.
Niniejszy tekst został przygotowany przy pomocy finansowej Unii Europejskiej, w ramach Programu Współpracy Transgranicznej Polska-Białoruś-Ukraina 2014-2020. Odpowiedzialność za zawartość tej publikacji leży wyłącznie po stronie Gminy Sokółka i nie może być w żadnym przypadku traktowana jako odzwierciedlenie stanowiska Unii Europejskiej, IZ lub Wspólnego Sekretariatu Technicznego Programu Współpracy Transgranicznej Polska-Białoruś-Ukraina 2014-2020.
Fot.: D. Biziuk
